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Dallas, TX – February 14, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Jon Baird, an accomplished Fortune 150 divisional CIO who specializes in high-growth expansion and international transformation strategies, has joined the Dallas practice. Baird has a history of transforming stagnant IT organizations and technology footprints to deliver against high-growth business strategies both domestically and abroad.

Baird was most recently the CIO of a European division of Arrow Electronics Inc. (NYSE: ARW), a global Fortune 150 company and leading distributor of enterprise computing platforms and electronic components, where he developed and initiated the execution of a strategy to consolidate 15 ERP environments across EMEA into a single enterprise ERP platform. He also participated in multiple acquisitions and integrations that grew Arrow’s top line revenue in its Enterprise Computing Solutions European business by over €1 billion. Before Arrow, Baird was CIO of Shared Technologies, a division of Arrow where he partnered with the executive leadership team in growing revenues from $80 million to $400+ million while collaborating on the initiative to achieve Fortune’s 100 Best Companies in America to Work For, for four straight years. Earlier in his career, Baird also held technology leadership roles with Allegiance Telecom, co-founded an IT software development firm engaging with multiple Fortune 500 clients and also held various technical roles within IBM.

“Jon has been globetrotting all over Europe for years, honing his methods for improving technology for businesses within dozens of European countries, which often have different regulatory requirements, security challenges, country-specific telecom networks and proprietary systems, all of which lead to an inordinate amount of complexities to solve,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Jon delivers results by looking at technology from a transformational perspective and making decisions that spur high growth and geographic expansion. As an international firm, Fortium appreciates the skillsets Jon brings to clients who have a taste for acquisitions or a demand for a broad international reach.”

“Global businesses have reached a level of complexity that can be disruptive to business execution, but there are proven solutions that can help high growth businesses integrate and their workforces collaborate in a way that was previously too difficult,” said Baird. “Everyone is seeking the secret sauce that makes it possible to combine systems and processes fast, easy and efficiently, and the velocity of change that global businesses are needing to undertake is unprecedented. Fortium is a good fit because I can combine my experiences with those of my partners to develop new solutions and processes for businesses experiencing a transformation. The value creation possibilities in these scenarios are unlimited, and that is exciting.”

Baird holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Science from the University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University.

FORTIUM PARTNERS is a technology leadership firm providing world-class leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex technology challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Prior to joining Fortium, Lynch was CIO at Speed Commerce, an end-to-end service provider of ecommerce, fulfillment and call center services. She transformed the IT organization from 30 employees to a global team of 250 employees and contractors. Her team delivered technology solutions that generated over $1 billion in annual e-commerce client revenue. Before Speed Commerce she spent a decade with Blockbuster on both the IT and business side. Her experience there spanned from launching digital solutions across the 8,000 global Blockbuster stores to playing a pivotal management role in Blockbuster’s restructuring and acquisition efforts. Earlier in her career she served in management roles with digital content organizations like Vesta Broadband Services and Summus Limited, and also delivered millions in international business development efforts for global Fortune 500 firm ABB.

“If business leaders want to understand how technology can disrupt an industry, they need look no further than retail. Even on the local level, technology drives practically every part of the retail experience, from research and development to shopping to shipping. Jyoti has been on the front lines of the race to appeal to omni-channel shoppers, and she’s seen the best and worst business responses to unrelenting innovation,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Jyoti’s deep understanding of e-commerce gives her a unique view of where customers have been and where they are going next, so she’s a natural fit for our National Retail Practice, as well as other businesses that are choosing to embrace technology disruption instead of resisting it.”

“Digital transformation is a broad term that most people associate with technology, but in reality it’s the way every business will operate in the next three to five years. You can’t purchase and implement a transformation; you must instead live it, breathe it and embrace it from a strategic level while keeping the customer center stage,” said Lynch. “Regardless of industry, businesses need to serve their customers with business driven technology solutions that elevate the customer experience. But they need help. I joined Fortium because so many businesses have technology leaders who don’t have the skillsets needed to navigate a technology disruption. Our primary focus is to help show them the way, and I’m thrilled to be a part.”

Lynch holds an M.S. and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is a technology leadership firm providing world-class leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex technology challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – January 18, 2017 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Larry Arps, an entrepreneurial CIO with a proven record of delivering multi-million dollar infrastructure improvements in the high tech and education sectors, has joined the New York practice. Arps brings more than 25 years of broad business expertise with universities and Fortune 1,000 companies, specializing in network infrastructure, process improvement, technology implementation and change management.

Prior to joining Fortium, Arps owned a technology services firm that served mid-sized and Fortune 1000 companies throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Before that he was the CIO for Manhattanville College for more than a decade, where he helped boost the institution’s competitiveness to a level parallel with that of the top 25 percent of U.S. academic institutions and on par with many Fortune 1000 companies. Throughout his career, Arps served in various consulting roles, including 13 years with IBM, where he received multiple awards for his excellence in business and financial analysis, and with business consultancy The Licas Group, where he resurrected a failing technology infrastructure and implemented an emergency disaster recovery plan after an incident at a New England college.

“Today’s CIO doesn’t need to personally manage acres of on-site equipment, but a knowledge of how to leverage infrastructure – whether it’s in the cloud, via social media or in-house legacy systems – can make all the difference for investment returns,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Larry gets his hands dirty and asks the tough questions first to ensure the business is leveraging technology to grow and become more competitive. That’s what Fortium delivers to our clients - we help businesses learn how technology can make them stronger, faster and more stable than competitors. Larry is a solid fit for our growing team.”

“Everyone from global companies to mom-and-pop shops know that a poor technology infrastructure will keep everyone focused on the wrong parts of the business, while a strong infrastructure can drive a business forward in new and exciting ways, while keeping competitors at bay,” said Arps. “I joined Fortium because this exceptional team of CIOs is collectively using technology to drive modern businesses forward. We have the built-in, firsthand experience for virtually any technology issue that no other organization can offer, and I’m excited to be a part of this extraordinary team.”

Arps holds a bachelor’s in physics from Carleton College, a bachelor’s in industrial engineering and operations analysis from Columbia University and an MBA from Columbia University. He also has a Certificate in Business Dynamics, Systems Thinking and Modeling from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Prior to joining Fortium, Tyagi enjoyed a linear career progression as an expert in every aspect of the product spectrum for enterprise software solutions providers like CA Technologies, Sage, Oracle, PeopleSoft and JDEdwards. He has frequently launched new products, grown existing portfolios, built strong agile organizations and championed digital transformations. He is often on the cutting edge of new innovation, and is leading the charge toward machine learning and predictive analytics while helping businesses develop lasting cloud and mobile platforms that support go-to-market product strategies. In his most recent role as senior VP of business strategy for CA Technologies, he held P&L responsibility for IT management, automation and analytics, generating $700 million in revenue.

“There has never been a greater need for experienced technology leadership in SaaS and commercial software development than there is today. We couldn’t be more thrilled to add Alok to the growing roster of world-class software CTOs that make up Fortium’s Software practice,” said Burke Autrey, Fortium’s President, COO, and Software practice leader. “But the real winners are the SaaS executives, Boards, and Private Equity investors who have on-demand access to world-class SaaS CTOs for advisory, due-diligence, interim, and fractional roles. The ability to engage a seasoned SaaS expert like Alok to focus on, and solve, your toughest SaaS challenges tomorrow is the hallmark of Fortium’s brand and why we’re growing so rapidly.”

“Technology product development is one of the toughest functions in any company because innovation requires massive investments of time, money and R&D, and there’s still no guarantee of product success or sustainability. Not to mention the rapidly changing nature of product development that’s underway due to innovations like machine learning and analytics. That’s where a product strategist like Alok can make all the difference,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Alok’s repeat experience in building commercially successful products with large companies that serve global brands makes him a top expert in his field. His expertise is the perfect complement to our roster of large corp CIOs.

“The pace of innovation and digital disruption is happening so much in every industry that today practically every company is a software company. We’re all becoming more connected and the amount of data we’re generating impacts almost everything we do. Businesses that specialize in developing software products and solutions are more aware of this shift than ever,” said Tyagi. “Solutions providers must remain at the edge of these transformations in order to remain relevant and desirable to customers. I joined Fortium Partners because the firm helps guide companies to make the technology changes needed to grow and thrive in pace with these changes. I am thrilled to join my partners in solving the problems that arise as we race toward a more connected economy.”

Tyagi holds an MBA from Colorado University and a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Regional Engineering College in India.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – December 8, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Brad Bush, creative business visionary and technology thought leader has joined the Dallas practice. As a thought leader in many technologies, Bush was named a WebRTC pioneer, an InformationWeek CIO top innovator and a top 50 CMO in telecom for his storied accomplishments in recent leadership roles. Bush focuses on delivering technology-driven business outcomes via his understanding of strategy, operations, finance and marketing.

Prior to joining Fortium, Bush was COO at Dialexa, a research, design and creation firm which builds innovative software and hardware platforms for Fortune 500 Companies. Before Dialexa, Bush held several positions at GENBAND, including six years as CIO and two years as CMO. Before GENBAND, he was responsible for business unit operations at Tekelec Switching Solutions Group, and spent eight years at Nortel Networks, where he held various strategic positions in information technology and wireless operations. An entrepreneur at heart, Bush founded Sharpsite Interactive, a successful startup specializing in Internet application development.

“Every business is becoming a digital business. Technology has become so disruptive that a single customer-centric application can change a company’s business model or disrupt an industry. Brad is a leader who can see business transformation opportunities and develop a plan to help that business adapt and compete. He is a whole brain thinker who has sat in the CIO seat, the CMO seat and the COO seat, so he looks at the business with a critical eye from all angles,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Combining Brad’s broad cross-discipline background with the deep technology experience of fellow partners in our rapidly-growing firm is what makes Fortium a force. No other firm can combine the holistic business and technology viewpoint that we bring.”

“Technology teams are fast realizing that they are no longer cost centers that keep the back office running. Today’s technology leaders are using innovation to differentiate from the competition, drive new business lines and make customers happier. Businesses that ignore these opportunities will fade away, while those who capitalize on these opportunities now will become industry leaders,” said Bush. “So many businesses need help understanding and integrating upcoming technology, and Fortium is an ideal opportunity to offer guidance on how machine learning, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics can transform practically any type of organization. I’m honored to deliver these services with a team of peers who know how to speak business and technology.”

Bush holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rice University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – November 17, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of IT turnaround and leadership services, today announced that Gail Holmberg, an established technology leader for industry giants such as Bally Total Fitness, Sears, Roebuck & Company and The Quaker Oats Company, has been promoted to serve as Area Managing Partner of the Midwest region. In this role, Holmberg is responsible for securing growth opportunities and attracting top CIO talent to serve clients.

Throughout her career, Holmberg has transformed the way retailers do business. Prior to joining Fortium, Holmberg was CIO of Bally Total Fitness, which was the nation’s eminent fitness chain with more than 420 facilities, 25,000 employees and 4 million members during her tenure. She directed the overall technology strategy and conducted a three-year business transformation project resulting in a more cost effective, supportable technology platform. Before Bally, she was the divisional CIO of administration systems for Sears, Roebuck & Company, where she owned all facets of technology and infrastructure support for $1 billion commercial sales as well as corporate HR, finance and legal departments. Prior to Sears, Holmberg was manager of transaction processing, systems support and IT at The Quaker Oats Company, where she led the systems integration strategy for more than 35 applications.

“Gail’s reputation precedes her in the most elite technology circles, so it is our privilege to promote our leaders from within and add her to the Fortium Partners management team,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Clients and partners alike respond positively to her drive to optimize the way businesses use technology as a driver and a revenue generator, which is exactly the type of mentality that brings our firm success.”

“I know firsthand the types of complex challenges Fortium clients face every day, and I know that Fortium is the only firm of its kind that can step in and bring immediate solutions from a corps of CIOs who trained on the front lines of business,” said Holmberg. “I look forward to collaborating with clients to minimize risks, develop technology strategies, and embrace new systems and processes that save money and drive growth.”

Holmberg holds a masters of public administration from Harvard University and a bachelor of arts in communications from Illinois State University. She proudly serves on the boards of the Woman Made Gallery and the Society for Information Management – Chicago Chapter and is the co-founder of Senior Women in Technology.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – November 11, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Rich Proszowski, sought-after global technologist with a reputation for delivering game-changing results, has joined the Chicago practice. Proszowski has a proven record of leading transformational enterprise initiatives and continuous innovation at firms in a wide variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical products and devices, infant nutrition, consumer goods, food, distribution, steel/metals, packaging, and retail.

“Rich has a diverse background with one commonality: his experience requires deep familiarity with the consumerization of technology and the expectations consumers have today to gain instant access and immediate gratification for their needs. This brave new omni-channel world requires CIOs to be hyper-vigilant about responding to internal organizations – like marketing, business development and operations – just as closely as meeting external customer needs, and Rich delivers the goods,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Rich uses complex IT roadmaps to ensure the technology team is highly valued within an organization, while also safeguarding the security, privacy and legal aspects of doing business. Fortium Partners attracts top CIOs from large corporations like Rich because nothing can be compared to sitting in the C-suite and devising innovative ways to save money and enable the business with technology.”

“You can tell how much a company values IT by where it is positioned in the corporate hierarchy. Organizationally, the CIO role needs appropriate alignment and visibility to help shape and guide business direction. Today’s CIO earns a place on the strategic leadership team by making a positive, powerful impact on the business strategy,” said Proszowski. “I joined Fortium because I’m surrounded by tireless CIO innovators who know the value of technology and its ability to lead to stronger revenues, profit growth and cultural change. There’s no other firm like this one, anywhere.”

Proszowski holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a bachelor of science from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – October 20, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Mary Sobiechowski, a globally recognized technology trendsetter with more than 20 years of experience as an IT transformation leader, has joined the New York practice. Sobiechowski is recognized as one of the top 100 social CIOs on Huffington Post’s Tech blog and a “woman IT leader to watch” on the HPE Matter Future Tech blog.

Sobiechowski was most recently the CIO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), where she supported 850 people in diverse locations, including a hospital and an animal poison control center. Before the ASPCA, Sobiechowski served for 15 years in technology leadership roles for various companies owned by WPP, one of the largest holding companies of global advertising, marketing and media companies. She was the first CIO of Kantar Health, a global leader in research and brand equity for the healthcare industry, where she helped guide the technology transformation of the merger of five global companies into a single $250 million global consultancy and market insights organization. She was also the CIO and CTO for Sudler & Hennessey, the healthcare communications division of Y&R Brands. While there she led the WPP Creative Technology Special Interest group, a collaboration forum of over 100 innovators to improve the business.

“Mary is the type of CIO who has innovation written into her DNA. She was selling RAM at the first Mac World in 1983, writing HTML for business websites in 1992 when everyone else was using phone books and operators, and she was one of the first CIOs to join Twitter. By 2000, she was a global CIO for a world leader in advertising and marketing services and that was still only the beginning, as she continued on her storied path of enriching organizations by motivating employees to adapt and enjoy technology as an integrated business tool,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Mary has an instinct for what’s coming and what will work, which is an invaluable asset when countless new apps and disruptive technologies become available each year. We’re proud to bring her bold and open approach to technology to the firm.”

“Business leaders will have a fast and furious ride for the next few years as technology platforms allow them to gain insights and make decisions faster than ever before, based on real time information. Mobile device management, artificial intelligence and machine learning are also quickly developing to help businesses obtain better business insights and facilitate more productive, streamlined operations,” said Sobiechowski. “It’s all about connecting dots, and it will take serious collaboration among executive teams to pull it off effectively. I joined Fortium because there’s no other organization offering technology leadership acumen on such broad and deep levels. The partners at Fortium know what it’s like to sit in the CIO seat and experience transition after transition no matter how complex, and I’m thrilled to join a collaborative team that solves real-life problems every day.”

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – October 14, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Klaus Grillmaier, an international business CIO with more than 25 years of experience leading technology initiatives for DuPont business units, has joined the Greater Philadelphia practice. Grillmaier’s globetrotting IT experience has generated multimillion-dollar productivity gains due to his implementation of programs designed to extract maximum value from investments in technology.

Prior to joining Fortium, Grillmaier devoted his career to leading technology programs within various business units and global locations for DuPont, a publicly-traded world-class science and engineering product manufacturer with more than $25 billion in sales revenue. Most recently, Grillmaier was the business IT manager (“business CIO”) with global CIO accountability for the $3 billion fluoroproducts business, a $3 billion spin-off unit with an IT budget of $45 million. He co-led the $100 million deployment project of the Chemours Company spin-off IT changes and drove digital business transformation through company-wide adoption of cloud services for collaboration. He has also served as global CIO of industrial coatings and regional CIO for the engineering polymers business unit.

“In a global manufacturing organization like DuPont, which has numerous patented and trademarked products and solutions, technology teams must be vigilant over intellectual property and customer information at all times,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Klaus has first-hand knowledge on how large businesses can grow and adapt to new technologies while extracting value and reducing consumption in a global environment. Klaus and partners like him give us an advantage over consulting firms because his insider knowledge pulls back the curtain on how CIOs must operate to deliver a return on significant investment.”

“I led businesses through numerous restructurings and migrations, from mainframes and emails to cloud services and online social collaboration. The pace of change is ever increasing, which is why it’s important to treat expansive global businesses like a brain that gets smarter through each employee’s contribution,” said Grillmaier. “It takes organizational discipline to manage an organization through technology transitions and my peers at Fortium are equipped with real-life tools and experiences that work effectively today. Our peer network is valuable because we can pull from thousands of different experiences to come up with the right solution for virtually any situation.”

Grillmaier holds a master of arts in history from Eastern Illinois University and studied history, law and sociology at the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universitat in Frankfurt.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – October 13, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Michael H. Wilson, a CIO and management consultant for a number of multi-billion dollar global firms in financial services, aerospace, non-profit and e-commerce, has joined the Orange County practice. Wilson’s reputation as a “corporate troubleshooter” for businesses experiencing explosive growth span across organizations like Ball Aerospace & Technologies, AARP and Option One Mortgage, among others.

Prior to joining Fortium, Wilson spent most of his career as CIO for mortgage loan companies like loanDepot, First NLC Financial Services and Option One Mortgage, where he helped these organization increase and manage revenue and earnings growth by providing oversight to IT operations and promoting technology innovation and stability. He was also CIO for Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, a billion-dollar world-class aerospace company where he achieved 20 percent revenue growth through a comprehensive project portfolio and a 40 percent increase in application/solutions productivity by implementing Agile/Scrum. He also led $1.4 billion AARP, a non-profit organization with 36 million active members, through a platform transformation of its high-transactional and complex mainframe and client server technology ecosystem, enabling the company to meet 10 percent of expected membership growth.

“Global CIOs are seeing a trend in certain industries, like mortgage lending or e-commerce, where products and services are becoming commodities. Brand loyalty is on the decline and consumers shop quickly based on convenience and fads. Products may no longer hold a competitive advantage, but speed to market and easy access can give businesses the edge,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Mike has first-hand experience helping companies become more profitable by building platforms that uncover hidden revenues and accelerate business strategies. His expertise meshes well with the partners and we’re happy to have him on the team.”

“CIOs today must look beyond technology and study the evolving consumer experience. Learn their patterns and make sure customers can find you fast. Businesses that are winning today are adopting these methods early and often,” said Wilson. “Unlike individual CIOs or consulting firms, Fortium leaders have been battle tested on the front lines of business, and we offer numerous useful resources from dozens of experienced CIO practitioners who can evaluate a problem from different angles. There’s no other firm like Fortium and I am glad to be part of such a knowledgeable and influential team.”

Wilson holds a master of science in electrical engineering from Loyola Marymount University and a bachelor of science of in applied math/engineering system sciences from UCLA.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – October 11, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Tim Mather, a renowned security strategist and chief information security officer (CISO) for businesses like Apple, Symantec, Verisign, KPMG and EMC, has joined the Silicon Valley practice. Mather brings more than a decade of CISO leadership experience, a position often hailed as one of the most powerful positions within modern organizations due to its responsibility for intellectual property protection and information security.

Prior to joining Fortium, Mather served as CISO for companies like Cadence Design Systems, Splunk and Symantec, where he was heavily invested in intellectual property protection and securing infrastructure and information platforms. He also served as chief security officer (CSO) for Apigee and as Chief Security Strategist RSA (the security division of EMC). Earlier in his career Mather built information security functions from the ground up for Verisign and Symantec, which helped them avoid major security breaches. Mather was a consultant and advisory director in information protection for KPMG LLP, where he demonstrated thought leadership and innovation in cloud computing through customer engagements and speaking opportunities. While with KPMG UK, he was the senior advisor to I-4, providing innovative, provocative and thought leading content for CISOs of major multi-national organizations.

“Security breaches are so common in today’s business environment that some leaders are starting to build ransoms into their annual budgets. With that kind of acute risk, it’s no wonder that the CISO role is taking the top technology position in some businesses, with the CIO now reporting to security in some cases,” said Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Tim is among an elite faction of security strategists who has built multiple global information security programs from the ground up. There are probably less than a few dozen individuals with his knowledge on the planet, and businesses need his expertise more than ever. The partners are eager to have him on board.”

“Security standards change so rapidly and breaches occur so frequently that traditional security firms are being displaced, creating a huge disruption in the marketplace as businesses scramble to keep information and intellectual property safe,” said Mather. “Combine that with the severe shortage of cybersecurity talent available, and businesses are suddenly facing a situation that leaves them susceptible to devastating attacks. I joined Fortium because I want to collaborate with my CIO peers to help businesses avoid the risks, embarrassment and financial burden of inadequate security.”

Mather has co-authored two successful books, Cloud Security and Privacy andThe Executive Guide to Information Security, both of which are available on Amazon. He holds three master’s degrees: the first in international policy studies from Middlebury Institute, the second in national security studies from Georgetown University and the third in information security from Brandeis University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in political economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.

Dallas, TX – September 30, 2016 – FORTIUM PARTNERS, the world’s fastest-growing provider of technology leadership services, today announced that Katherine Kost, a champion of innovation and technology for global businesses like Meggitt, A.T. Kearney, EY, Nissan and Mitsubishi, has joined the Southwest practice based in Denver, Colorado. Kost’s background includes 12 years in CIO and CEO roles as well as director experience on two boards, where she provided transformational leadership to evolving, high-performance organizations.

Prior to joining Fortium, Kost was the CEO of Element-Y, an R&D solutions company where she established a strategic vision and operating plan to drive partnerships and lead contract negotiations in support of patented product innovations. Kost was the first CIO at Meggitt PLC, an aerospace and defense supplier, where she led the information services transformation of more than 40 disparate IT organizations into a unified global shared services business. She also spent several years in consulting, first as senior manager with Ernst & Young, and later as a principal with A.T. Kearney. Earlier in her career Kost spent a decade in the automotive industry, where she worked in various management roles with Nissan and Mitsubishi. She currently serves on the board of directors for Element-Y and MedWish International, a not-for-profit organization that repurposes discarded medical supplies and equipment to provide humanitarian aid in developing countries.

“Katherine is among a recent wave of partner additions who bring impressive leadership skills from the aerospace and defense industry. This experience is vital because CIOs like her place security at the top of the agenda at a time when businesses are reeling from the number of system vulnerabilities they must face,” Tim McCracken, Fortium Chairman and CEO. “Katherine knows how to help our clients find that sweet spot between a company’s protection standards and risk management. Businesses must adjust to manage ransomware and cybersecurity threats, and our partners are experienced and ready to help. We are thrilled to have Katherine on the team.”

“Gone are the days when a CIO’s biggest decision was to choose which gigantic ERP solution to implement. Those days were rigorous but today’s technology decisions are more varied, mobile and complex than ever in history, and in order to make good decisions about integrations, implementations, technology priorities and risk management, CIOs have to be included in developing the vision and strategy of the business,” said Kost. “I joined Fortium because this growing group of my technology peers knows what it’s like to interpret a business vision into a technology strategy that works for everyone. And unlike consulting firms, we provide clients with the exact support needed from a C-level perspective at every opportunity. I’m delighted to be a part of this dynamic organization.”

Kost holds a master of international business management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a bachelor of arts in biochemistry and political science from the University of California, San Diego.

About Fortium Partners

FORTIUM PARTNERS is an IT turnaround and technology services firm providing world-class IT leadership to clients focused on finding solutions to complex IT infrastructure issues or difficult-to–solve operational challenges. FORTIUM serves public and private companies across a variety of industries, placing expert project teams and operational leadership resources in technology-related roles. FORTIUM resources have 25 or more years of technology experience, most recently in a senior leadership role.